Pro bowler hoping for shot in tournament

Heather Cory

Erik Forkel, a professional bowler that runs the bowling shop inside the Strike Zone at Sunset Station, practices for an upcoming tournament. Forkel has won five national titles and 25 regional titles.

By Brent Hinckley (contact)

Thursday, Oct. 30, 2008 | 2 a.m.

Heather Cory

Professional bowler, Erik Forkel bowls a few rounds on Oct. 15 to practice for an upcoming tournament at Sunset Station Strike Zone.

Green Valley’s Eric Forkel starts every day with two to three games of bowling at inside the Strike Zone at Sunset Station.

Forkel, 48, is a former Professional Bowling Association tour member who works in the pro shop at the facility. He trains daily with hopes of receiving another shot on bowling’s biggest circuit.

The Professional Bowling Association Tournament of Champions is Jan. 19 to 26 at Red Rock Lanes and Forkel wants to compete.

A five-time winner on tour, Forkel feels slighted because the association has not asked him to participate.

“They told me I couldn’t since I was no longer a touring player,” Forkel said.

He plans to ask commissioner Fred Schreyer for an exemption, and if that doesn’t work, he has one last option. The winner of the PBA Wayne Webb Tri-Region Sands Regency Open in Reno Dec. 12 to 14 earns an automatic bid.

“If they’re not going to invite me, I’ll have to beat 175 other bowlers, then they’ll have to allow me to play,” Forkel said.

Whether he makes it into the tournament or not, Forkel won’t leave behind the game he loves. He still competes in the PBA West Regional and on the West Coast Seniors Tour.

“I’ve always been competitive, and I still am,” Forkel said.

He’s been around bowling since he was growing up in Southern California. His uncle ran a bowling center and Forkel said he spent a lot of time there.

“I’d watch it on television. I’d go to my uncle’s center and I just fell in love with bowling,” he said.

He started on tour in 1982, but only competed part-time the next 10 years.

“I’d go out and play for two to three weeks, and be like these guys are unbelievable,” Forkel said. “Then I’d come home and practice some more.”

Don McCune, a professional bowler who works with Forkel at the Strike Zone, said it’s Forkel’s work ethic that made him a good bowler.

“He’s always practicing, always trying to get better,” McCune said. “He’s worked to get where he’s at. It’s what he teaches his students is to practice and work hard.”

In addition to Forkel’s five tour wins, including the 1992 PBA National in Toledo, Ohio, he’s had 24 regional victories and is in the Los Angeles Bowling Hall of Fame and the Southern California Bowling Hall of Fame.

“I’m quite proud of what I’ve accomplished and a lot of days I still feel I am as good as I was,” Forkel said.

His last win came in 1999 in New York City. The association and CBS sports wanted to try something different, so they held an outdoor tournament at Bryant Park in Manhattan. Forkel advanced to the final round where he defeated Mark Mosayebi 243-231.

He competed on the tour until 2006. From the association’s inception in 1958 to the 2003-04 season, all tournaments were open to members. Then in October 2004, it adopted an all-exemption format. Forkel lost his status in 2005 and was ready to quit.

“Storm Products called me and asked if I’d go to each event’s qualifying and they’d still sponsor me. I thought ‘I’m a five-time champion. I shouldn’t have to go through this,‘” Forkel said. “But I wasn’t ready to quit bowling so I did it.”

If Forkel had been the leading qualifier at the end of the 2005-06 season, he would have earned an exemption for the following year. He led until the final two events and ended up in second place.

“That’s when I knew it was time to move on,” he said.

Now, he spends his time teaching and helping other bowlers improve their games.

“It was tough at first. I was very bitter I wasn’t out competing,” Forkel said. “I still miss it, but I’m enjoying this.”